PARIS – A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Jackie Young added 15 to help the United States beat Nigeria 88-74 in the quarterfinals of the Paris Games on Wednesday night, extending its record winning streak to 59 consecutive Olympic victories.

Breanna Stewart also scored 13 points for the Americans, who have not lost since the 1992 Barcelona Games and are now just two wins away from an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal. They face a familiar opponent in Australia in Friday night’s semifinals.

The Opals defeated Serbia 85:67. In the other game of the medal round, host France will face Belgium.

The defeat ended Nigeria’s historic run as the first African country to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games in basketball.

After a slow start in recent games, the USA changed its starting lineup, bringing in Young for Diana Taurasi. It was the first time Taurasi was not in the starting lineup since her first Olympic Games in 2004.

The move worked, as the Americans led 26-17 after the first quarter – the first time since their opening win against Japan that they had a lead after a quarter.

Young had five points to start before spraining her ankle while attempting a jump shot when she landed on the foot of a Nigerian player. Taurasi came on as a substitute and hit her first shot – a three-pointer from the free throw line – that made it 24-12 late in the first quarter.

Nigeria hung on, trailing just 31-27 before Wilson, Young and Kelsey Plum took the lead. The Las Vegas Aces trio scored the first 15 points, including eight from Wilson, during a 21-6 run to close the half that gave the Americans a 52-33 halftime lead.

The USA continued their spurt in the third quarter and scored the first ten points, leaving the Nigerians with no hope of a comeback.

Promise Amukamara scored 19 points to lead Nigeria, while Amy Okonkwo added 17 and Ezinne Kalu 16.

As this was the U.S. team’s first Games in Paris, the competition attracted a number of Olympians, including men’s team players LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Devin Booker, as well as American swimming greats Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. Members of the U.S. rowing team were also in attendance.